Chapter Forty-Four
It was Christmas Eve and even though she had spent most of the previous day with her mum at the hospital, Jessica didn’t want to miss this morning at the bakery.
Especially as it was Christmas Eve. After her mum’s cast had been applied, the doctor had decided she was good to go as long as she promised to take things easy.
‘Of course I will,’ she’d said sweetly. ‘I will do as I’m told and my daughter is here to look after me.’
The doctor nodded and smiled, glancing over at Jessica. When he left the room, her mum looked at her.
‘What?’ said Jessica.
‘He seemed a nice young man, didn’t he? Bit of a looker?’
Jessica shook her head in despair. ‘I’m not sure you can say stuff like that any more, Mum. But, yes, I’m sure he’s very good at his job.’
Catriona had raised an eyebrow and looked at her in that infuriatingly knowing way that she did. ‘At least it’s something to tell your dad.’
Jessica was grateful that Murray and Reuben had come to collect them. She was exhausted and wasn’t quite sure she would have been able to keep her eyes open on the drive home. Murray had driven their parents’ car back and Reuben had taken Jessica and her mum.
‘Now, Reuben,’ Catriona had said from the back seat of the car, clearly back in the swing of things now that the painkillers had started to work.
‘Please do come and stay with us so you’re not waking up on your own in Glasgow.
I’ve told Jessica to get the love room ready for you.
’ Jessica’s cheeks flamed and she knew she couldn’t risk making eye contact with Reuben.
He kept his eyes on the road ahead and cleared his throat.
‘Mum means the reading room upstairs. Where she keeps all her romance books.’
‘I’m a real sucker for a good romance book,’ he said diplomatically. ‘You can perhaps recommend one to me?’
Jessica had looked round at her mum, who sat there looking the picture of innocence.
‘Of course I will, dear. So that’s a yes then? You’ll stay?’
‘Thanks, Catriona,’ he said grinning. ‘That’s really kind of you. I would like that. Is that okay with you, Jessie?’ He winked at her.
Once back at the cottage, they had made sure Catriona was comfortable and settled on the sofa with a cup of tea and Angus next to her. Reuben and Jessica sat at the kitchen table.
‘You look tired too,’ said Reuben. ‘Are you going to go to bed and try and get some rest?’
‘I will,’ she said yawning. ‘I need to go to work tomorrow and I don’t want to let them down. I do feel like I could face plant right here at this table.’
‘Come on,’ he said huskily. ‘You go and get some sleep. And I’ll head off.’
She stood up, dragging her feet. ‘And you’ll stay with us tomorrow?’ She wasn’t too tired to notice the playful smile tug at his lips.
‘In the love room? How can I resist.’ He pulled her close and kissed her, only moving away when they heard Angus move around next door.
It hadn’t taken Jessica long to fall asleep and she had slept well, dreaming of Reuben and waking with a smile on her face.
* * *
The time at the bakery had flown and there was only an hour left until closing time. Gillian and Struan had both greeted her with a hug when she arrived first thing, clearly grateful she was back and that her mum was okay.
‘I hope we’ve got enough to last us until lunchtime,’ said Struan. ‘There’s some more loaves out back but not many.’ He surveyed the counter display which was starting to look sparse. ‘The cinnamon buns are all away and there’s only a few mince pies left.’
‘Yes,’ said Gillian, who appeared with another tray of buns and pies. ‘But you’ve forgotten that we decided to make an extra batch in case. And anyway, folk will start coming in for their sausage rolls soon and pies.’
Struan, wearing his Santa hat again, nodded in agreement.
Just then the door opened and Iris, who ran the bottle tombola at the Christmas fair, came in with a woman who looked around the same age as Jessica and Gillian. She wore an orange woollen coat over a pair of blue dungarees and she had a knitted hat over her long, dark hair.
‘Good morning,’ said Jessica, pleased to see Iris.
‘Hello, dear,’ said Iris, her eyes twinkling. ‘How are you? I heard about your mum and her broken arm. How is she?’
‘I know,’ said Jessica. ‘But she’s okay. We’re here to look after her and she’s been told to rest and make the most of it while she can. I’ve left her in the capable hands of my dad this morning.’
‘It’s lovely you’re home to be with her. And I saw Reuben earlier at The Wee Bookshop,’ she said knowingly. ‘He said he’s spending Christmas with you, too.’ She gave Jessica a wink.
She could feel her cheeks redden, and Gillian was now looking at her strangely.
‘Who’s this then?’ said Jessica quickly.
‘This is my granddaughter, Flora,’ Iris said, smiling proudly at the woman standing next to her.
‘Nice to meet you, Flora. Are you here for Christmas?’
Flora nodded and grinned.
‘That’s so nice for your gran.’
Iris beamed. ‘Yes, it will be nice to have some company. Otherwise, it’s just me and the boys.’
Jessica looked at her in confusion. ‘The boys?’ Had she missed something? Did Iris have lodgers or new men in her life?
‘Scrumpy and Sidney,’ said Iris as way of explanation.
Jessica remembered she had mentioned them at the Christmas fair.
Flora chuckled and cleared her throat. ‘They’re Gran’s rescue parrots,’ she explained.
‘Ah, I see,’ said Jessica with a laugh. ‘I did wonder who you were talking about.’
‘Did you think I’d found two new men for myself?’ She chuckled. ‘Sadly not, but I do love them dearly. You should pop in and see them sometime before you go back to London. They would love to say hello.’
‘She’s not joking about the saying hello bit,’ said Flora. ‘In fact, some of their chat is quite interesting.’
Jessica nodded at her with a smile and then the realisation of all of this coming to an end soon started to dawn on her. She turned away as she felt tears spring in her eyes and busied herself restocking the counter.
‘Oh good,’ said Flora. ‘Gran has been telling me about these cinnamon buns and I thought you had sold out and we’d missed them.’
‘You’re in luck,’ said Gillian warmly.
Iris looked at Jessica conspiratorially. ‘Are these ones yours, dear?’ she said in a whisper.
Jessica nodded.
‘Don’t tell Struan, but yours are way nicer than his.’
‘Thanks,’ said Jessica, grateful for the compliment. ‘I won’t say a word.’
After they’d left the shop, she knew she was being watched. She turned to find Gillian leaning against the doorway of the kitchen with her arms folded. She raised an eyebrow. ‘Care to share anything with me?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘You didn’t tell me Reuben was spending Christmas with you,’ she screeched.
Jessica tried to shrug nonchalantly. ‘He’s not just spending it with me. It’s all of us. Mum didn’t want him on his own.’
‘Mm-hmm. And you?’
‘I’ll do whatever will keep my mum happy.’
Gillian waited for Jessica to expand, and when she didn’t, she tutted in frustration. ‘I know you, Ms Stewart, and I know when you’re not telling the truth. Something is afoot.’
Jessica feigned innocence. ‘Is Millie excited about Santa coming later?’
She rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Trying to change the conversation, not very subtly at all. But, yes, since you ask, she is. We’ve been on the final countdown for what seems like weeks. Let’s just say that I don’t think I’ll be having a lie-in tomorrow morning.’
Jessica grinned at her. ‘That’s the best part of Christmas. Being small and getting up really early to open your presents and eat chocolate and then going back to bed.’
Gillian nodded at her. ‘Is that what you and Reuben plan to do too?’
Another flurry of customers came in the door at that moment.
‘Looks like I’ve been saved by the bell,’ said Jessica good-naturedly.
Less than an hour later, Struan had turned the sign to say Closed and he sighed.
‘Phew. Girls, thank you so much. I couldn’t have done any of it without you.
You have both worked so hard.’ He choked back a sob which had Gillian looking at Jessica with a panicked expression.
Struan had never shown any sign of emotion, just general grumpiness since she’d met him.
The last couple of days he had really relaxed and been happier around them.
‘Are you okay?’ said Jessica kindly.
‘I’m fine. Just a wee bit emotional. And tired.
’ He cleared his throat. ‘Anyway, look, you two head away and I’ll finish off here.
You’ve got your families to go and see to.
Have a very happy Christmas both of you.
’ Then he handed them both a Christmas gift bag.
‘Just a wee something from me to say thank you.’
Gillian flung her arms round him and Jessica joined their group hug, too. ‘It’s been fun, Struan. Thanks for letting me help out.’
He shrugged and adopted his grumpy face again. ‘That’s fine, doll. Enjoy your time off and we’ll see you again on the thirtieth?’
Jessica nodded. ‘And you enjoy time with your sister in Stirling.’
He rolled his eyes. ‘Aye, can’t say I’m looking forward to it but at least she’ll be doing the cooking.’
‘We will really miss you when you go, Jess,’ said Gillian.
Jessica nodded, a lump forming in her throat. ‘Come on, let’s not get teary yet. By the time I go back to London, you’ll be ready to see the back of me.’ She gave Gillian a hug and a couple of small packages for her and Millie.
Gillian looked genuinely touched. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘It’s been just pure brilliant having you around.’
They pulled on their coats and hats and Jessica turned on her phone to see a message from Freda, thanking her for the present she’d sent.
There were also several missed calls from Ivan.
Oh shit. With all the drama of her mum’s broken arm yesterday, she had completely forgotten that she should have called him.
She was quite sure that Zander would’ve already been in touch and tried to throw her under the bus.
She said a final goodbye to Gillian and then, with a clammy shiver, she dialled Ivan’s number.